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accused of assault in the third degree, but this serious charge may be upgraded if the taxi driver's condition deteriorates any further."
Lötberg gave Wallander a disapproving look but said nothing.
Wallander started at the beginning. "Your name is Sonja Hökberg, and you were born on February 2, 1978."
"That makes me an Aquarius. What's your sign?"
"That doesn't concern us at present. You're here to answer my questions and that is all. Understand?"
"Do I look stupid?"
"You live with your parents on 12 Trastvägen, here in Ystad."
"Yes."
"You have a younger brother Emil, born in 1982."
"He's the one who should be sitting in this chair, not me."
Wallander raised his eyebrows. "Why do you say that?"
"He never leaves my things alone. He's always looking through my stuff. We fight a lot."
"I'm sure it can be trying to have a younger brother, but let's leave it for now."
She's still so composed, Wallander thought. Her nonchalance was beginning to irritate him.
"Can you describe the events of last Tuesday evening?"
"It's such a drag to have to go over the same thing twice."
"That can't be helped. You and Eva Persson went out that evening?"
"There's nothing to do around here. I wish I lived in Moscow."
Wallander regarded her with surprise. Even Lötberg seemed startled.
"Why Moscow?"
"I just saw somewhere that exciting things often happen there. Have you ever been to Moscow?"
"No. Just answer my questions. So, you went out that night."
"You already know that."
"Were you and Eva good friends?"
"Why else would we have gone out together? Do I look like the kind of person who would go out with people I didn't like?"
For the first time Wallander thought he could detect a note of emotion in her voice. Impatience.
"How long have you known each other?"
"Not very long."
"How long?"
"A few years."
"She's five years younger than you."
"She looks up to me."
"What do you mean by that?"
"She's told me so herself. She looks up to me."
"Why is that?"
"You'll have to ask her yourself."
I will, Wallander thought. I have a lot of things to ask her. "Can you tell me what happened that night?"
"Jesus Christ!"
"You must, whether you want to or not. We can stay here all night if we have to."
"We had a beer."
"Even though Eva Persson is only 14?"
"She looks older."
"Then what happened?"
"We ordered another beer."
"And after that?"
"We called a taxi. But you know all this. Why do you keep asking?"
"Had you already decided to attack this taxi driver?"
"We needed the money."
"For what?"
"Nothing in particular."
"Let me see if I have this straight: you needed money, but not for anything in particular."
"Right."
No, that's not right, Wallander thought. He had detected a shade of insecurity in her answer. He grew more attentive.
"Normally, when you need money it is for something in particular."
"Not in our case."
Oh yes, it was, Wallander thought. But he decided to leave the matter for now.
"How did you come up with the idea of robbing a taxi driver?"
"We talked about it."
"At the restaurant?"
"Yes."
"So you hadn't talked about it earlier?"
"Why would we have done that?"
Lötberg was staring down at his hands.
"Would it be correct to say that you had no intention of assaulting the taxi driver before you went to the restaurant? Whose idea was it?"
"It was mine."
"Eva had no objections?"
"No."
This doesn't hang together, Wallander thought. She's lying, but she's remarkably calm.
"You ordered the taxi from the restaurant, then waited until it arrived. Is that correct?"
"Yes."
"But where did the hammer and knife come from? If you hadn't planned the attack in advance, I mean."
The girl looked steadily into Wallander's eyes. "I always carry a hammer with me," she said. "And Eva always has a knife."
"Why?"
"You never know what's going to happen."
"What do you mean by that?"
"The streets are full of crazy people. You have to be able to defend yourself."
"So you always go out with this hammer in your hand-bag?"
"Yes."
"Have you ever used it before?"
Lötberg looked up.